TNAG-1151-FCO40-1431-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-the-United-Nations-1983 — Page 118

CODE 18-77

SS 8/78

Reference

Miere

02213.

LA/SA/2

R+R pl.

Mr Edgar HKGD

K 242

८५

NO

1Th 0

30/4

Pam 2014.

See

27

ILO TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMMES FOR SOUTHERN AFRICA

The Constitution of the ILO clearly states that the United Kingdom is the Member state responsible for the International relations of Hong Kong.

1.

20

4

Mr Ho is therefore correct in the second paragraph of his letter of 13 April in his assumption that the ILO Regional Office in Bangkok should not have made this direct request to the Hong Kong Government. Indeed it is quite possible, although we have no knowledge of it at the moment, that ILO Bangkok may also have approached the Brunei Government, another British Metropolitan Territory in the region.

3. As Mr Tonkin states in his minute JSU 022/1 of 23 April, the ILO Headquarters will be making a not dissimilar request to the Department of Employment this week.

4.

As and when these ILO proposals have been considered here, we shall be able to notify the Hong Kong Government of the outcome. In the meantime we recommend that the Hong Kong Government should inform the ILO Regional Office that as a non-metropolitan dependent territory they will follow the lead of the UK Government on this matter and will not take independent action on their own account.

28 April 1982

cc : Mrs Tucker

UND K143

G Tippett

Overseas Labour Adviser's Office

WR B Robinson Esq Department of Employment

NG Bates Esq

UKMIS Geneva